


the lights are beautiful tonight (but not as beautiful as you)

by TheSkyclanCat



Series: AU Dump [4]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: AU February, Alternate Universe- Merfolk, F/M, FireSand in a mermaid au, Fireheart couldn't have gone through the first three books and not come out with problems, Fireworks, For AkitsuneLune's Warrior AU Month, WAUrriors FebrAUry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29221029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSkyclanCat/pseuds/TheSkyclanCat
Summary: Fireheart is stressed with his increased workload as deputy and wants to get away for a bit.Sandstorm joins him and gets startled by the weird exploding lights in the sky.
Relationships: Firestar/Sandstorm (Warriors)
Series: AU Dump [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858687
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	the lights are beautiful tonight (but not as beautiful as you)

**Author's Note:**

> So AkitsuneLune posted a thing on tumblr for a Warriors AU month where writers would pick a universe and/or trope and a ship and W R I T E. I wasn't feeling up to updating Ignite so I figured I would try something new. Hope AkitsuneLune doesn't mind if I join in. Especially cause my writing is pretty blargh compared to others I've seen. 
> 
> School's been a real kick in the butt. Nothing new there. But I might not update next week cause my job wants me to work night shifts for Valentine's week. That'll be brutal. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Every hit, kudos, and comment means a lot to me!

Fireheart was beginning to think that continuing being deputy wasn't worth it. Ever since Tigerclaw had let his traitorous nature shine through for all the clan to see, Bluestar had steadily descended into something close of insanity. She constantly stayed within the confines of her coral den, and not even Whitestorm or Cinder or Yellowfang could get her to come out, unless it was something really important.

So everything fell onto him to keep the clan running. He had his deputy duties as well as doing most of Bluestar's job for her, and he had to teach his unruly apprentice the ways of the clan and the warrior code- which he believed that he was also failing at even that, considering he had caught Cloud sneaking off to explore the surface world.

Not only that, but he was still mourning over losing Graystripe and his children to Riverclan. If only he hadn't been seduced by the beautiful siren, beckoning him to the rivers that poured out in the ocean, maybe they all would have been spared by Silverstream's grisly death. Graystripe would still be a respected warrior of Thunderclan and not traumatized and broken over his mate's death, Cinder wouldn't flashback to Silverstream's birthing every time a queen went into labor, and Fireheart wouldn't have lost his best friend.

But then, Graystripe's children wouldn't have been born. He wouldn't have fallen in love. And wasn't it better to love than to not have loved at all?

He let out a tired sigh and ran his fingers through his hair as the day finally ended and he could finally relax. Not that he could relax much. He needed to get some sleep for when he would have to get up to sort out the dawn patrols. For him, there was no relaxation- just the soft sands of his bed waiting for him within his own personal den.

He stalled outside his den. Attempting to sleep his worries away only to repeat the next day didn't sound so appealing. He flicked his tail restlessly. He just needed to get out for a bit. He glanced around camp, seeing that there was no one in the clearing, and swam out.

He briefly wondered if sneaking out was a good idea, considering that Tigerclaw was still on the loose.

He approached the surface, popping his head up above the water. In the distance he could see the town he grew up in during his childhood days. Back when things were simpler; playing with Sam, growing up with his family, getting into petty brother-sister fights with Penelope.

His favorite part of growing up there was listening to all his father's stories of rescuing a merman and helping him avenge his dead father. Back then, he thought it was the coolest thing. Later he realized how ridiculous it all was; mermaids didn't exist! And yet his love for the ocean never died down. He was always drawn back to the hypnotizing motions of the waves, almost as if they were beckoning him in.

Then he fell into a pool of water while playing near the cliff sides during a full-moon, and everything changed.

He wasn't like the other merfolk that lived in each clan. He was still human- and he would turn back into one if he wasn't constantly wet.

He gripped onto a rock jutting out of the ocean, hoisting himself onto it and staring out onto the lights that marked where the town was, idly flicking his tail in the water.

“I knew I would find you here.” He didn't react as Sandstorm swam up to him, treading next to the rock he was sitting on. He was much too tired to be startled tonight. Neither of them said nothing until Sandstorm hoisted herself up next to him, also staring out into the town.

“Goldenflower and Frostfin saw you leave. They're worried about you,” she said. He looked down onto his tail, slightly embarrassed that he had been caught sneaking out. “Are you okay?”

Was he? It always seemed like he held the world on his shoulders these days. Thinking about it all made him sick to his stomach.

“I don't know,” he said simply. “Everything feels so stressful.”

“I'd imagine. Having to be deputy on top of everything Bluestar has thrown on top of you,” she commented.

“It's not just that,” he muttered. “Tigerclaw's out there plotting to kill us all. Cloud isn't taking anything seriously. I can't keep this clan from falling apart. I'm not a good _deputy_ -” he choked up at the end, his throat tightening.

Sandstorm's head whipped around to face him. “Of course you're a good deputy!”

“Am I?” he muttered dejectedly. “Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I declined Bluestar's offer to join the clan,” he said, staring out into the lights of the town.

“What?” He ignored Sandstorm's shocked whisper. No doubt he would have had to hide his merself from everyone. He had confided in Penelope, and she had given Cloud a dip in the same pool he had fell into during a full-moon, just so she could give her son to him to become a great warrior as he had become. Penelope had never been the responsible type...

“I just don't think I'm doing a good job. She should have picked someone else. Like Whitestorm, or Willowscale- they're much older and experienced that I am! Or maybe Goldenflower even! No, she has Bramble and Tawny to take care of- but maybe when they're apprenticed-”

“Fireheart, you're rambling,” Sandstorm's voice broke him out of his musings. She reached over and drew a finger over his cheek, pulling back and examining her fingertip with intrigue. He was then aware of the wetness on his face and the sting in his eyes. Had he been crying?

“I just- why did she pick me?”

Sandstorm didn't say anything at first, mulling over her answer. “Because no one else had the guts to believe that Tigerclaw would go as far as to murder our deputy,” she whispered. “You went and figured out what really killed Redtail and prevented Tigerclaw from killing Bluestar. Of course she would want you as deputy.” She turned, staring back out onto the lights of the town.

“You were the only real choice we had.”

They were interrupted by a sizzling sound, and a trail of light streaked into the sky before exploding with a loud bang, bursting with small dots of different colors. Sandstorm panicked and slipped off the rock at the loud sound. Fireheart only stared at the fireworks going off, before registering that Sandstorm had fallen off the rock.

For the first time in what felt like a while, he laughed. He felt some of the tightness in his shoulders melt away with each laugh that exited him.

“Hey! Don't laugh! Why are you even laughing? What even are those things? Are we being attacked?!” Sandstorm yelled at him.

“What? We're not being attacked. They're just fireworks,” he sighed fondly, watching as more streaks of light shot up into the air, exploding into different patterns and colors. After a few moments, Sandstorm lifted herself back onto the rock, her posture stiff with wariness.

“What are _fireworks_?” she tested the word.

Fireheart hummed, wondering how to explain the concept to her.

“Fireworks are just... fireworks. Really pretty to look at, but also really loud,” he decided to say, knowing that Sandstorm would just get confused if he started spouting off about gunpowder.

“Why are they going off now?”

“It's...” He frowned suddenly. “They usually set off the fireworks for celebrations. The townspeople come together to celebrate the coming of summer every year, which would be around now...” he trailed off. It was one of the most celebrated events of the year. He had always looked forward to them as a child.

“How did I forget?” he mumbled.

“Maybe your head is a little too filled with water, human,” she said teasingly. He didn't take as an insult- he knew she was just teasing him. She had come a long way from the rude mermaid who mocked him as apprentices.

He supposed he had come a long way too.

Overtime, Sandstorm began to relax, and she entwined her hand on top of his own, leaning into his shoulder as they watched the fireworks go off in content silence. It felt nice, just being able to relax. The lights were always beautiful.

He glanced beside him, Sandstorm's eyes fixed on the bursting lights ahead of them. His face lit up in a blush at their position, but didn't move to separate.

_(He thought the fireworks reflected in her eyes made her even prettier than the lights, but he didn't voice the thought out loud.)_

**Author's Note:**

> Sand doesn't understand humans. Or their weird contraptions.
> 
> If anyone is interested in AU February, go onto AkitsuneLune's tumblr and scroll down til you find the post(you can't miss it). Spread the word my peeps!
> 
> Please don't ask me to two-shot this. Or make it into a full story. It's in the AU Dump for a reason.
> 
> Tell me how I did.


End file.
